Toronto Public Library workers go on strike

Toronto public library workers are set to go on strike Monday morning. After a series of extensions past today's midnight negotiation deadline, it was announced shortly after 5 p.m. that a deal could not be reached between the Library Board and CUPE local 4948, which represents over 2,300 TPL employees.

During the strike, all 98 TPL branches will be closed. But there is good news if you're an exceedingly slow reader! Book drops will also be closed, so libraries ask that borrowers hold on to their books until a settlement is reached and branches re-open. So now there really is no excuse for not getting through that copy of Ulysses you took out last week.

As was the case during negotiations with the city's outside workers, the key issue is job security. According to Maureen O'Reilly, president of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union, the concessions the Board seeks will lead to further losses of library staff and possible branch closures.

A rally for striking workers is planned for 12 p.m. tomorrow at city hall.

"We remain committed to working with Toronto Public Library Workers' Union Local 4948 to reach a settlement that is fair and reasonable to our staff and affordable to the residents of Toronto so that we can resume public library service in Toronto as soon as possible," said Councillor Paul Ainslie, Toronto Public Library Board Chair. CUPE's take on the matter can be found here.

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